


Morning Starts with Dawn

by TaciturnSnake



Category: OMORI (Video Game)
Genre: Babysitting, Fluff and Angst, Guilt, Original Character(s), Other, Redemption, Sunny gets the little sister he never had, Sunny radiating big bro energy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-27
Packaged: 2021-03-28 10:53:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30138447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TaciturnSnake/pseuds/TaciturnSnake
Summary: Sunny meets his younger cousin for the first time.
Comments: 14
Kudos: 56





	1. Reunion

It hasn’t been long at all since they moved away from Faraway. City life wasn’t as bad as Sunny expected and he was surprised at how quickly he got used to it, not without some hiccups here and there, but nothing too bad. Slowly, Sunny had been making strides coming back to society and has currently attained some semblance of a normal life at least; eating three meals a day and allocating some time for physical exercise. As a result, he was far from the pathetic twig that he was eight months ago, even if other teens his age still towered over him, not having improved much in height. Returning to school after four years of absence wasn’t easy, but Sunny did his best to adapt and it all worked out somehow. He even took the initiative to join a writing club at school and met other individuals like him, creative types passionate about crafting their stories and elaborate worlds filled with characters of their own design.

 _This isn’t running away_ , he reasoned. _It’s not the same as before, I just need a healthy outlet. Everything is okay now, mostly._

“Honey, can you come over here for a sec?” asked his mom. “I have some wonderful news!”

Sunny and Mari grew up not seeing much of their relatives outside of their family unit. Back in their old house, photos of various relatives were framed on the walls. Their mom and dad (mostly their dad) used to tell all manners of stories about them all the time, but most of the faces in the photos Sunny has never actually seen in person. His dad was the third child (out of five) of a wealthy and renowned family in Osaka, Japan. According to mom, they had once taken them to visit their grandparents, proud owners of a popular traditional Japanese inn, back when he was a toddler. Sadly, being so young at the time, Sunny couldn’t remember a thing about that visit despite being blessed with a sharp memory. At times, he would find himself wondering just how his Japanese grandparents are holding up now.

“Your uncle Derrick just informed me that they’ll be visiting us here in the city next week,” said his mom, her eyes gleaming with excitement. “They’ll be staying in the city for about a week. Isn’t that just wonderful?”

Sunny nodded, still processing the sudden news.

Despite being his mom’s only sibling and younger brother, uncle Derrick has always been a bit of a mystery to him. He has only seen his uncle twice in his entire life. The first was when their family attended his wedding back when he was around four years old. His uncle was a tall guy, towering over his dad even, with a distinctive scruffy beard that shoots out in all directions and a muscular and impressive physique, not unlike those buff models they proudly display in gym ads.

They shortly moved out of the state after the wedding and even though uncle Derrick has been keeping in touch with them through calls and letters, that was the last they would see of him again for a long time. The second and the last time Sunny actually saw his uncle was almost five years ago, shortly after Mari’s untimely demise. Their family was there for the funeral and gave some much needed emotional support, but Sunny couldn’t even dare look at his face after what happened.

Did he know? Did mom tell him? He never asked, but Sunny was reasonably convinced that he didn’t.

A brief moment of silence.

“I’m sure you and Dawn will get along,” she said, putting a spoonful of soup in her mouth.

Sunny did the same.

Dawn was his uncle’s only daughter and child. He’s never seen his cousin in person before (she was left to someone else’s care when they visited Faraway almost five years ago), but Sunny estimated she’s probably around eight right now. Sunny has never interacted with a much younger child before (one that wasn’t an infant at least) so he wasn’t sure how things would go between them.

He needed some time alone to think.

“I’ll be in my room,” he declared, taking his empty bowl to the sink before heading upstairs.

His mom could see that he wasn’t too thrilled about the news, but decided not to say anything.

Sunny withdrew to his room and plopped down on his comfortable bed.

The idea of seeing his uncle again after everything that has happened was something that hasn’t even entered his mind until now. He spent the last four years in near-complete isolation, wasting his life away on bed, dreaming up elaborate fantasies so that he wouldn’t have to face the truth of what he did. He deliberately avoided his friends, even his mom, hiding behind a fragile wall all for the sake of living a life that was never meant to be. Among his group of friends, only Kel has spoken to him since that fateful day and even then, it was apparent that something has been irretrievably lost between the two of them.

“I’ll see you around Sunny.”

Those were his last words to him as he entered his mom’s car just outside of the hospital.

There was no warmth to them, no enthusiasm at all. Very much unlike Kel. Like it was just a formality.

Even if they do end up forgiving him someday, Sunny has accepted that things could never go back to the way they were.

Will his uncle reject him too once he finds out the truth?

To say that he was somewhat nervous would be a massive understatement.

Sunny grabbed a blanket and wrapped himself in it, contemplating all sorts of possibilities.

_Deep breaths, Sunny, deep breaths._

He calmed down, but anxiety lingered on the back of his mind, trying to claw its way out like a ravenous dog locked in a cage.

* * *

Today’s the day.

Sunny spent the early Saturday morning helping his mom prepare a small feast for their arrival. Memories of his last day in Faraway came back to him, when he, Kel, and Aubrey followed Hero’s lead and helped out in Sean and Karen’s kitchen for their housewarming party. Sunny insisted on baking the cookies and handled the preparation of the roast chicken with very minimal assistance, while his mom took care of the salad and the pasta. Earlier, Sunny had to pick up a small strawberry cake from a bakery just a few blocks away from their house. The walk to the bakery helped him stretch out his legs and clear his mind a bit, making things somewhat better so he was at least thankful for that.

At exactly twelve in the noon, the doorbell rang as expected.

“Honey, would you mind opening the door?”

“I’m on it,” he said.

His palms were sweaty and he could hear his heartbeat’s heavy thuds reverberating from his chest.

_Calm down, you got this._

Sunny managed to get his composure back as he opened the door.

A large man stood in front of him. His uncle Derrick was more or less exactly as he remembered from before. The man did not visibly age at all, he thought. The other thing that stood out to him was his clothes. He was wearing a plain white shirt with the top unbuttoned, likely bought from somewhere cheap, a stylish brown vest that fits just about right, and comfy beige shorts that goes down right to his knees. Color choices aside, the similarity to what he was wearing was so uncanny it was like looking at an older reflection of himself.

“Sunny! Good to see you!” he roared.

His uncle pulled him into a tight hug. Sunny squirmed but the anxiousness he was feeling mere seconds ago seemed to have evaporated in an instant.

“I-It’s good to see you too uncle,” he said, still taken aback from the sudden hug.

Uncle Derrick stepped sideways, revealing a little girl standing right behind him. She wore a red and white dress, tiny black shoes with socks reaching up to her knees, and had short pigtails, with a singular red flower pin adorning the side of her head.

A flower.

Sunny chuckled nervously.

“Dawn, this is your cousin, Sunny. Say hello.”

The girl nervously bit her lower lip and looked up to him.

“H-hello,” she muttered, awkwardly fidgeting and grasping her father’s shirt.

Dawn was barely around his chest level, so Sunny stooped down to greet her with a smile.

“Nice to meet you Dawn,” he said, putting on his best “cool older cousin” expression and extending his right hand for her to shake. Dawn took it with a hint of reluctance and a half-smile flickered on her face.

Something about seeing Dawn warmed his heart, the same feeling he used to get whenever Mewo would playfully pounce on him. Her shyness and the way she awkwardly carries herself somewhat reminded Sunny of himself as a kid.

His mom suddenly appeared from the kitchen.

“Cassandra! We’re here!” bellowed his uncle.

“Derrick! It’s been so long!” she yelled back.

The two hugged each other with the same enthusiasm.

"It has been indeed,” he said. Sunny could have sworn he saw his uncle tear up but he probably just imagined it.

“Come in. Make yourselves at home,” she said.

Derrick entered and Dawn tumbled along.

* * *

The feast they have prepared was relatively modest compared to what they would usually put on the table when guests would come into their previous home, back when Mari was still alive. He recalled how mom and his older sister would work hard preparing all sorts of dishes that he and his dad would try out and give their critique on, how he could see the joy written on Mari’s face whenever he and his dad would approve of her dishes. Those days were long gone but Sunny still vividly remembers them as if they happened yesterday.

“I have to say,” said his uncle, taking a bite out of his cookie. “You really nailed these cookies Sunny! Excellent baking skills do run in the family after all,” he said, glancing at his mom.

“Thanks,” he mumbled.

He did the cookies exactly as Hero had taught them that day eight months ago. Having a good memory was something Sunny has always been thankful for.

Sunny hurriedly cut a piece of chicken with his knife and brought it to his mouth. It was a bit dry, he thought.

“We already settled in at a nearby hotel this morning and unloaded all of our stuff so that’s done,” said his uncle, taking a sip of his coffee. “Care to join us for a tour around the city later this afternoon? It’s been a while since I was here and so many things have changed over the years it’s like being in a foreign place!”

His uncle apparently got his first job in this city as a salesperson, his mom had told him. That was around twenty years ago.

“We’re free for the rest of the day so we’ll take you up on that,” said his mom.

Sunny caught Dawn glancing at his direction but she quickly reverted her eyes back to her plate.

“Derrick, I see Martha isn’t with you. Did something happen?” asked his mom.

Martha was his uncle’s wife who also happened to be one of his mom’s childhood friends. Sunny didn’t know the full story but from what was told, his uncle and Martha had a thing for each other going way back since they were kids. His mom apparently played a crucial role getting them together.

“Ah, that. Martha was going with us but something came up at the last minute. You know how busy lawyers could get. Sorry about that,” he sighed.

“Oh, that’s too bad, but I understand. Martha has always been the hardworking type. We’ll just have catch up some other time I guess. Dawn, how you’ve grown! How are you dear?” she said, turning her attention to her.

Dawn absentmindedly poked at her pasta.

“I’m fine aunt Cassandra,” she replied tersely.

“I heard you’ve taken up painting recently Dawn, isn’t that right Derrick?” said mom, grinning at her dad.

“Now,” his uncle began, smiling sheepishly. “I assure you, Dawn picked it up on her own and there was no prodding involved. Even though she’s been watching me work since she was practically a baby, Dawn hasn’t shown much interest doing paintings herself before. It all happened so fast and spontaneously I wasn’t even sure what triggered it.“

Uncle Derrick paused for a bit then continued.

“One night, imagine to my surprise when I woke up and found the door to my work room open. I grabbed a steel chair, thinking somebody had broken in. I peeked and saw no one but my little girl sitting on my spot, working on an empty canvas,” he said, sounding like a proud dad.

Derrick grabbed something from his pocket.

“Here, let me show you what she was working on. Her first painting,”

He held out a photograph to them.

Sunny has never been much of a flower expert unlike Basil who knew pretty much all there is to know about flowers and their respective meaning, but this was a flower he instantly recognized.

A white tulip.

“You like it?”

It took a brief moment before it registered to Sunny that Dawn directed the question at him, staring at him with her adorable eyes. She must have noticed his peculiar reaction to it.

It wasn’t without flaws, but for someone’s first painting ever it was impressive. The general shape of the tulip, the various shades of color, the shadows, all of it combined and blended together to give the piece a sense of realism and authenticity you wouldn’t see in most paintings done by kids. She clearly has a knack for the craft just like her father.

“Um, yes. It’s beautiful. Great job,” he said.

Dawn momentarily beamed up but quickly adopted a more neutral expression.

“That’s my girl,” said Derrick.

Sunny grabbed a cookie.

“What about you Sunny? Anything you’ve been up to recently?” his uncle inquired.

“I joined a writing club at school,” he said, putting some salad on his plate. “It’s not much, but I’ve worked on a few short stories since then.”

Sunny flinched after realizing that he probably said too much. Now he’s going to be asked about those stories which he wasn’t in any capacity to talk about just yet.

Fortunately for him, his uncle likely felt his looming apprehension and steered the conversation somewhere else.

“That’s great!” he said. “Ah, that brings me back. I wrote some stuff back in high school too but other things got in the way, so uh, sadly I never really got to properly develop my skills as a writer. You still remember do you, Cassandra? Back when I won that essay writing contest?”

“You won second place,” his mom corrected as she chuckled. “Never seen you so happy. You thought joining the contest would impress Martha.”

“Can’t say it didn’t work. Besides, it was you who not-so-subtly suggested the idea in the first place, sis. You two were real close after all.”

They laughed.

Their conversations went on, jumping from one topic to another. His mom and uncle reminisced about their childhood days, the various antics they have gotten themselves into, the ups and downs of their youth, basking in heartfelt nostalgia. It was fun listening to them and Sunny even managed to acquire some brand new insight into his family’s history.

Dawn remained silent throughout.

Sunny would occasionally check up on her to see how she was holding up. She seemed bored out of her mind, that’s for sure.

Everything was good. But how long will it last? That creature trapped somewhere in the back of his mind seemed to be struggling again, attempting to break out.

He had to go.

“Excuse me,” he said. He quickly stood up and walked away.

Sunny went to the bathroom and stared at the mirror. His hands were trembling and color seemed to have been flushed out of his face. _Everything is going to be okay_ , he thought. He closed his eyes as he splashed water on his face, the sudden coldness making him shudder, took several deep breaths, and calmed himself down. He looked at his reflection again.

_Nothing has changed. It’s still me._

The trembling has stopped, at least for now.

He grabbed a towel to wipe himself with and got out of the bathroom, heading outside to their backyard to get some much needed fresh air.

* * *

There wasn’t much to speak of when it came to their backyard. It was a mere fraction of a space compared to their previous backyard and no trees were in sight. Some ordinary potted plants were lined right by the sliding door connecting the backyard to the interior but otherwise, the area has been almost entirely empty since they moved. He suspected that even his mom wasn’t quite sure what to fill the space up with.

Sunny heard quiet footsteps behind him and instinctively turned his head back.

It’s Dawn.

“Can I stay here for a bit?” she mumbled, her eyes cast down.

Did she follow him here?

“S-sure,” he said, trying to keep it cool.

Dawn gazed vacantly at the clear blue sky, taking in the cool air. Some pigeons nimbly landed nearby, simultaneously cooing and attempting to drown each other’s voice. Sunny grabbed two wooden chairs and placed them down, motioning for her to sit.

The two sat down without exchanging a word.

As the older person, he figured he should be the one to initiate a conversation with his younger cousin, but Sunny had no experience whatsoever talking to kids much younger than him so this situation was entirely alien to him.

“Um, Dawn?”

“Hmm?”

“How do you like it here so far?”

Sunny couldn’t think of a better question to start off with quite frankly. Small talk, heck, talking at all, has never been his thing. At that moment, he wished Kel was right there by his side.

“Oh, um, it’s nice,” she said, still gazing at the sky. “Daddy wanted to take me here for a long time, so it feels good to be finally here.”

Sunny waited for her to go on but she didn’t.

He lightly tapped an index finger on the edge of his seat.

“Is there anything you’d like to do while you’re here?” he asked.

“I don’t really know.”

“There’s a park not too far from here,” he suggested. “I think you’d like it there.”

That came out of nowhere but was the one thing that popped into his mind at the moment.

The public park in the city was far bigger than the one in Faraway, with lots of paths intertwined creating a maze-like environment you could easily lose yourself in if it was your first time. Good thing Sunny has been inside enough to memorize the general layout of the area. Spaces were specifically reserved for families wanting to have a picnic together during the weekends and there’s even a spot renting out bikes for use within the premises. It was the perfect hangout spot for a beautiful, sunny day.

“Sounds good. I’ll ask daddy about it,” she said.

Sunny has been observing Dawn at the table for quite some time and it was clear that something was bothering her. Curious as he was, he figured he shouldn’t pry.

“That’s a nice flower pin you have there,” he complimented.

“Thanks.”

A cold breeze flew by past them and Sunny shuddered when it made contact with his skin.

Small talk was a lot more difficult than he thought. Sunny rummaged through the depths of his mind, determined to keep it going.

The white tulip.

“That painting your dad showed us earlier, why choose a white tulip as the subject?”

Dawn’s eyes widened. That seemed to have gotten her attention at least.

“Um, I --,” Dawn began, biting her lower lip.

Sunny could easily tell that she didn’t want to talk about it, but just as he was about to change the subject, Dawn spoke up.

“It’s mommy’s favorite,” she blurted, letting out a breath she’s been holding.

“Your mom likes flowers?”

“Kinda. We used to have lots of them, but that was a long time ago.”

“What happened?”

“We had lots of tulips back in our old place,” she said. “But mommy had to give them away after we moved out. Since then, mommy’s been too busy with work we hardly even see her around anymore.”

“And that painting, was it meant for your mom?”

“That’s right,” she continued, clasping her hands on top of her lap and swinging her legs. “Too bad it wasn’t good enough.”

Sunny tilted his head. Not good enough?

“What makes you say that?”

Dawn paused for a bit, then got up from her chair. She seemed to be carefully contemplating what she was about to say next.

He waited.

“I-I thought it would cheer mommy up, but she didn’t even react when I showed the painting to her. She probably thought it was bad.”

Tears welled up in her eyes.

Maybe he shouldn’t have asked her about the painting after all. Just what would her dad say if he saw his daughter crying after spending time with him?

If only he had the ability to say the right words at any given situation…

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have bothered you with my problem,” she said, hastily rubbing her eyes in circles.

She’s remarkably mature for her age, he noted.

“It’s okay,” he said. “We just met today but we’re family, so you can tell me anything. I’ll listen.”

“Okay.” 

If there’s one thing he was at least good at, it was listening to other people.

“About your mom,” he said. “I don’t know much about her so maybe I’m way off, but I think she probably appreciated the painting more than you think.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Sunny was reminded of a thing.

Crap, just how is he going to explain this to someone of Dawn’s age?

“Let’s see.”

Standing up, Sunny creased his forehead, then paused for a bit and took a deep breath, calming his nerves.

“There are times when people don’t express how they feel in an honest way.”

“Um, like if you tell others you feel okay even when you don’t?”

“Exactly.”

She caught up fast.

“I knew someone,” he began. “A boy who bottled up his emotions”. Sunny felt his heart rate increase as the words trailed from his mouth and a bead of cold sweat rolled down his forehead. He hastily wiped it off and forced himself to continue. “You wouldn’t be able to tell just by looking at his face, but deep down he was hurting inside.”

Dawn was transfixed at his words, waiting for him to continue.

“What happened? Why would he do that?”

He was calmer now.

“Because he was scared.”

“Scared of what?”

Sunny paused and gave it some more thought.

“Scared of letting his emotions run wild and take control of him,” he finally said. “Scared that he’ll end up hurting the people he cares about.”

Dawn scratched her head adorably.

“Huh? I don’t really understand.”

This reaffirmed Sunny’s belief that he still has a lot to learn when it comes to talking to much younger kids. What else did he expect?

“You’ll understand when you’re older,” he said.

He saw disappointment written plainly on her face.

“You’re just like dad!” she pouted, crossing her arms. “I’ve heard that line so many times before.”

Sunny gave her an earnest smile.

“Anyway,” he continued. “People don’t often express their true feelings clearly. You said your mom didn’t like the painting because you didn’t see her react to it, but what if she was just tired after a long day of work? Did you try asking her about it the next day?”

Dawn looked like she was about to say something but kept her mouth shut.

Going into this, Sunny had intended to listen for the most part, so even he was surprised at how much he was able to say.

“I wish she was here right now,” she said, finally breaking the silence.

Sunny observed her, his eyes turning to the red flower pin, a distant memory flashing on his mind.

Autumn leaves swaying from their branches.

A bruised hand tightly grasping his.

That eye casting silent judgement upon him.

A faint whisper on his ear.

“Everything is going to be okay.”

Sunny flinched, taken aback by what just came out of his mouth.

Why on earth did he say that out loud?

Confused, Dawn shrugged, but said nothing more.

Sunny extended his right hand to give her a pat on the shoulder but withdrew it at the last second.

Leaving her to her thoughts would be for the best for now, he thought.

“I’m coming back in,” he said. “You can stay here for a bit longer if you like.”

Dawn nodded.

“Thanks Sunny.”

That was the first time he heard Dawn say his name. _Sunny_ wasn’t the most remarkable name by any stretch and the irony of being named after something warm and pleasant while looking back at himself these past four years did not escape him. Still, it sounded sweet coming from her.

After going through the sliding door, Sunny breathed a sigh of relief.

 _Maybe there’s hope for me after all_ , he thought.


	2. Outdoors

“Sunny, psssst!” a voice called out, penetrating the depths of his headspace. Sunny just had a nice and vivid dream involving sweets, lost sprout moles, and an underground maze. Nothing too out of the ordinary as far as his catalogue of bizarre dreams was concerned.

He felt something poke at his cheek.

“Little brother,” the voice cooed at him. “Wake up.”

Mari was by his side, gently shaking his arm to wake him up, her other hand brushing at his fluffy hair. He could smell the sweet, fragrant strawberry shampoo that his sister was so fond of as her well-combed black hair tickled his forehead.

“Hmm, five more minutes…” he drawled, still half-asleep, turning his back on her.

Despite his given name, Sunny was not a morning person at all. More often than not, his sister would be the one to wake him up and get him out of his bed whenever needed.

What day was it again?

It didn’t take long for him to remember.

The beach trip. It’s today.

“You wouldn’t want to make Aubrey wait now would you?” Mari said teasingly.

Sunny rolled over and half-opened his eyes to see his sister’s face right above his, grinning mischievously. Mari had developed the habit of using Aubrey’s name to get to him and it often worked. Luckily, he knew exactly how to hit back.

“Are you really that excited to see Hero shirtless?” he quipped.

Mari’s lips pouted, then it turned into a smirk.

Oh crap.

“Okay little brother, you asked for it!”

Sunny was finally jolted awake when Mari repeatedly jabbed two fingers at his ribs, his weak point.

“Ow! Hahaha, stop, please! I surrender!” he cried.

Mari continued, relentlessly tickling her brother. Sunny flung himself up and sat down on the edge of his bed and the two cuddled.

Mari smirked. “Back with us now?”

“Yeah,” he mumbled. “You win.”

“Sorry about that,” she said, not sounding sorry at all.

She gave him a light tap on the back and stood up. “Dad said we’ll have to leave by nine so make sure you’ve got all your stuff packed up by then okay?”

“Yes ma’am.”

Mari chuckled and kissed him on the forehead.

“Looks like my brother’s taking after me,” she said.

* * *

Sunny opened his eyes, woken up by a sudden bump. His right eye was itching again, which became somewhat of a normal occurrence every time he would find himself waking up abruptly. Just as the doctor said, it took months before his right eye had fully recovered and his vision went back to normal, and in the wound’s place was a tiny scar which will forever remain with him.

Thanks to his suggestion to Dawn earlier, they were currently on their way to the park in his uncle’s car that he had rented that morning for the duration of their stay. His mom was right by his uncle’s side and him and Dawn were seated on the back. Dawn fell asleep the moment they entered the car, exhausted from their earlier trip that morning. They lived in a state east of theirs and travelling by plane from there took about five whole hours, with added travel time driving to their hotel straight from the airport. It was a lengthy and arduous trip and Dawn probably did not get much sleep at all.

Mari still featured regularly Sunny’s dreams but it did not bother him nearly as much as before. Whereas those dreams were tinged with pain and sorrow in the past, aggravating his feelings of guilt and self-pity, now they primarily exist to give him the strength to go on and live life as best as he could. Somewhere along the way, he realized that Mari herself would want him instead to cherish those memories they shared together, so he made a conscious effort to view those dreams in a more positive light.

Sunny straightened his back, closed his eyes, and enjoyed the car’s air-conditioning, freeing his mind of any unnecessary baggage.

“We’re almost there,” his mom announced.

“Your mom already told you about it, right?” said his uncle, addressing him through the rear-view mirror. “My first ever job here.”

“You worked as a salesperson in a hardware store,” he said.

Sunny was reminded of that part-time job he did back at Faraway in Fix-It, shuffling tools around that had been misplaced and putting them back in the right place. Some would probably call him weird but he ended up enjoying the job given to him, as tedious as it was at first. “People just can’t be bothered to put things where they belong,” said the man behind the counter, briefing him on what he was supposed to do. It earned him some much needed extra cash so it’s not like he can complain much.

“Yeah, at Baley Hardware,” his uncle replied. “They’re not around anymore so the name might not be familiar to you, but they were big back in the day, with several stores in over twenty-five different cities around the country. It was the go-to place for home improvement and people from all over came flocking to us. Want the best quality lights for your living room? Baley’s got it. How about the latest, state-of-the art home security equipment? Baley’s the answer. They got pretty much everything you could ever need.”

“What happened to them?” he asked.

“Same as any other big companies that collapsed, I suppose. Poor management’s the culprit. The people in charge got too arrogant and complacent and made some really careless decisions along the way. It all piled up before crashing down on them like a mighty avalanche. One thing led to another and the company eventually had to file for bankruptcy, bringing about the end of Baley Hardware. I was already out of the company before it happened but a lot of people including some of my old buddies lost their jobs and none of them got out unscathed. Awful stuff. Just goes to show how nothing is ever permanent huh?”

Sunny couldn’t agree more.

“That whole business with Baley Hardware shutting down happened way back, before your uncle married your aunt Martha,” his mom chimed in.

“Man, things could have gotten real bad if I didn’t quit in time,” he sighed.

Road traffic was moderate during that time of the day and the rest of the ride went by smoothly. Dawn slept like a baby, tightly hugging a fluffy bird plush toy which he recognized as a character from some old cartoon. Sunny couldn’t help but smile as he watched her.

* * *

They finally reached their destination at around three. Rays of sunlight pierced through the wispy clouds and gave the surroundings a warm, ethereal glow. Dawn held her father’s hand tightly as they entered the park while Sunny and his mom closely followed along. Not a lot of people were currently around, a stark contrast to how crowded the park could usually get during the winter season, but presently there was more than enough space to walk around without bumping into anyone. Unsupervised kids even younger than Dawn were running around playing tag without a care in the world while a gaggle of high school-aged girls sat on a picnic blanket somewhere else, huddled together and each doing their own thing.

Sunny’s mom wanted to bring some of the food from earlier but his uncle insisted it wouldn’t be necessary as they wouldn’t be staying around for too long anyway. The four of them settled on a bench in front of a sturdy-looking oak tree.

“This park used to be a cluster of buildings just years ago,” said his uncle, breathing in the fresh air. “Amazing how much could change in such relatively short time.”

“This area wasn’t too far from where you used to live?” asked his mom.

“About half an hour from here if you took the cab, I think. Never really hung around here much.”

Sunny has never been much of an outdoor person, that he knew well, but being outside right now was just what his mind and body needed.

“So, what do you wanna do, Dawn?” her dad asked.

Dawn seemed unsure, turning her head around, before fixing her eyes at Sunny as if silently asking him to say something. He was going to suggest renting a bike but neither Dawn or him seemed to be in the right condition for it.

“I’d like to show Dawn around,” he said. “If it’s okay with you and her that is,” he added.

Sunny still wasn’t quite sure if he was ready for this but it can’t be too bad.

Dawn looked at her dad.

“Good idea,” he said, smiling. “Of course I’m okay with it. How about it Dawn? Do you want to spend some time with your cousin?”

Dawn stretched her arms. “I-I don’t mind,” she said.

“Well alright. Sunny, I’ll leave my little girl in your care.”

“You don’t mind walking Dawn around by yourself honey?” his mom asked.

“It’ll be fine,” he said.

Sunny wasn’t sure why, but their time together earlier stirred something within him. He wanted to cheer up Dawn and make her stay in the city memorable. That was going to be his mission.

“That’s nice of you sweetie,” said his mom. “We’ll be hanging around this area. Just don’t stay too long okay?”

Judging by the trees nearby and the how the benches were placed around, they were currently somewhere in the northeastern side of the park. Sunny could easily produce a map of the entire area in his mind just from memory, having been inside many times already.

Sunny blinked and Dawn was right there by his side in a second, looking much livelier than she was back in the car. She brushed off her dress and looked at him.

“Come on, Sunny!”

Dawn advanced forward.

“Have fun!” said her dad.

The next few minutes were spent just walking around without a particular destination in mind. To his annoyance, Sunny could already feel his legs wobble a bit. His past self over a year ago would have considered the mere act of walking for over a minute long an act of torture, and walking nonstop for ten minutes like what they are doing now would have broken his weak legs then, so there was at least some improvement.

That nap back in the car did wonders for Dawn’s mood. She’s completely different from how she was earlier. Her somber demeanor was gone, replaced by a positive energy that was both cheerful and adventurous in equal measure. Along the way, they passed through the usual big sights one would encounter in the park: a drawbridge over a small lake, a large statue of the city’s founder, an outdoor stage for benefit concerts, currently not being employed at the time. Dawn delighted in the sights, skipping around like a bubbly cat.

Sunny wasn’t quite sure where he was going to take her at first. He figured the playground southeast should be a good first stop, then he’ll figure out the rest later.

Dawn turned her head back. “Can I ask you something?”

She was squinting as she looked at him and he sensed some hesitation in her voice.

“Sure.”

Dawn slowed her pace down and came to a halt, kicking off a stray piece of rock that lay on the path.

“Promise me you won’t get mad okay?”

His eyebrows twitched. As if he could get mad at her after starting off like that.

“I won’t.”

“Your right eye, what happened to it?”

Sunny wasn’t at all surprised. He figured it was only a matter of time before Dawn would ask him about his _very noticeable_ and _mysterious_ scar. His mom had already told his uncle some lie about how he got it so he needed only to repeat it.

Sunny steeled himself.

“Oh, this,” he said, pointing at the scar. “Some stray cat jumped at me and clawed my eye.” Sunny cringed. The way he said it might have been a bit too casual. To think his mom would come up with such an outlandish story.

Dawn’s eyes widened and she placed a hand on her mouth.

“D-does it still hurt?” she asked, her question laced with childlike curiosity and concern.

He gingerly rubbed on the scar with the tip of his thumb, feeling its shape. If he applied just the right amount of pressure he could even feel it move a bit. It started to itch again for some reason. The mind is a powerful thing indeed.

“It did hurt for a while but now it’s gone. It’s been a long time after all, though the scar would be here to stay.”

“Forever?”

Sunny smiled. “Yeah… seems that way. It looks cool though, doesn’t it?” He curled both hands into a fist and placed them on his waist, imitating that one pose Captain Spaceboy would make whenever facing his enemies.

Dawn laughed heartily. She examined the scar closely, perhaps trying to determine what kind of cat could have left a mark like that.

“But why would a stray cat jump on you like that? Did you do something to make it angry?” Dawn pressed.

“Not a thing,” he said, keeping up with the lie. “The cat jumped high up from a roof and landed on my head. It was an accident.”

_A half-truth._

“That must have hurt a lot,” she said, her face all scrunched up.

_It sure did._

“I never really liked cats that much,” she continued. “Mommy likes them, but me and daddy are more of a dog person. Daddy told me we used to have one but that it died of old age when I was still very little so I don’t really remember anything.”

The death of a pet. One of the more painful things a child could experience.

“Dogs are great company too,” he said, remembering Kel and Hero’s dog, Hector. “But I prefer cats. They’re more adorable.”

One of these days he will definitely get himself a kitten, he told himself.

“But people keep telling stories about how cats are mean and stuff,” she said.

Sunny crossed his arms, his expression stern.

“Dawn, listen,” he said. “Don’t just believe any cra—” He clamped his mouth shut before he could say the word and smiled awkwardly. “Um, don’t just believe any stuff people tell you without seeing it for yourself first. Cats are very good companions as long as you treat them right.”

“Treat them right how?”

“Like feeding them well and respecting their personal space,” he said. “Don’t treat cats like they’re some mindless creatures and everything will work out. They’ll only warm up to you once they feel secure around you.”

Dawn giggled.

“You sure know a lot about cats. You and mommy would get along.”

“You and an old friend of mine would get along,” he retorted.

* * *

They finally reached the playground after some time. Most of the kids that usually hanged around that time of the day have already dispersed, leaving the place nearly deserted. They both sat down next to each other on an empty swing set.

Sunny eyes darted around, keenly observing their surroundings.

Two kids were flying their kites in an open field not too far from the playground. One had his kite in the shape of a cat while the other had it in the shape of a funky-looking spaceship.

Dawn kicked on the ground hard and propelled her seat back, swinging her legs.

They spent the next minutes in complete silence, occupied in their own thoughts.

If someone told Sunny a month ago that he would be hanging around with a cousin he has never even seen before and have fun while doing it, he would not have believed them. When his mom broke the news about Uncle Derrick visiting town, his thoughts were thrown into disarray. Something gnawed at him and feelings of uncertainty loomed in his mind.

The fear of the unknown.

That fear even persisted until earlier that morning but looking now, Sunny came to realize that all that worrying might have been for nothing.

Right now, all he wanted to do was to have fun with Dawn. He could worry about stuff later.

An ice cream truck was parked not too far from the playground.

Sunny cleared his throat. “Up for some ice cream?” he said, breaking the silence.

Dawn’s face beamed up.

“Sure!”

Without wasting time, they headed towards where the truck was. The truck was painted blue and white, evoking images of the sky, and its speakers blared a nauseously catchy tune that Sunny could have sworn he had heard playing somewhere else before. There weren’t many people lined up so they got to the front in no time.

“Hey there!” cried the guy in the truck. He was a man in his mid-thirties and for some reason was sporting stylish sunglasses, along with an ordinary apron and a blue shirt underneath it.

“What will it be for you two?”

“What flavor do you like?” he asked.

Dawn surveyed the selection of flavors.

“I’ll have mint chocolate chip please,” she said without any second thought.

Sunny didn’t expect a kid like Dawn to gravitate towards mint chocolate chip out of all the flavors but he couldn’t help but admire her for her sophisticated taste.

“I’ll have the same,” he said.

Sunny usually just picked vanilla, probably a boring choice, but he couldn’t care less. Other flavors just never interested him that much. This time however, he was in the mood to try something else so he decided to just go with what Dawn had picked.

The man scooped up from the mint chocolate chip ice cream container and placed it on two medium-sized cones.

“Here you go!” the man said, handing him their ice cream.

Sunny gave Dawn hers and paid the man.

“Let’s keep walking,” he said.

They trudged on a vacant pathway, some distance away from the truck and the playground. Dawn was enjoying her ice cream, biting it in small pieces. Sunny hasn’t touched his yet.

Suddenly, there was a commotion from behind. Sunny turned around and saw a kid in a bike barreling towards Dawn at great speed.

“Watch out!” the kid yelled.

Sunny managed to grab Dawn’s arm just in time to pull her away, the bike missing her by a hair. It felt as though the air around them had been violently sucked out by the bike whooshing past them. She laid by his side, her shoulders visibly shaking.

“Dawn, are you okay?!”

“I--,” she uttered, but froze up and kept quiet.

Dawn dropped her ice cream on the pavement and it splattered, painting that spot with mint green.

Sunny was at a loss. If that kid had hit her, Dawn could have been…

Sunny forcefully pulled the plug on that thought and tended to her. He stooped down and examined if she really was okay, if something’s been hit. Dawn just stood there, eyes wide open in shock.

He found nothing. Dawn wasn’t hurt.

Thank God. 

“Dawn?” he called out.

Dawn took a deep breath and looked at him.

“I’m okay. Thanks for saving me,” she said.

“Here, you can have mine,” he said, handing her his cone.

Dawn was going to say something but Sunny cut her off.

“It’s okay,” he said, patting her on the shoulder. “It’s okay.”

Sunny’s eyes went dark and concern turned into anger, his heart pounding violently in his chest.

What if he wasn’t able to pull her away in time?

 _“That reckless brat_ ,” he spat under his breath, curling his right hand into a tight fist and grinding his teeth.

Who the _hell_ rides a bike like that? Sunny wasn’t sure what he would do if he sees that boy again.

Dawn saw the look on his face and stepped back.

“S-Sunny?”

He closed his eyes and took deep breaths, doing his usual routine to calm himself down.

 _Keep it under control_ , he told himself.

He was back in no time at all. Sunny opened his eyes and found Dawn staring right at him. A quick smile flashed on her face as if to reassure him that she’s fine now.

“Thanks again,” she said.

Sunny extended his right hand to Dawn and she tilted her head in response.

“Just to make sure you’re safe,” he said. “At least, until you’re done with your ice cream.”

He looked at the ground, somewhat embarrassed. 

Dawn blinked a few times, then took his hand with glee. “Okay. Lead the way Sunny!” she said, back in her cheerful self.

* * *

Dawn finished her ice cream as they walked, holding on to each other. It was almost an hour since they have arrived and there was plenty more time to kill. The two sat on a bench.

 _What now?_ Sunny asked himself.

He remembered the two kids with their kites from earlier.

“Ever flew a kite before?” he asked, breaking the silence.

“Just once,” she said, wiping the sweat from her forehead. “Back when I was very young. Daddy took us to some farm with a big wide open field and we flew kites together that afternoon. It was fun.”

The last time Sunny flew a kite himself was during that beach trip with Mari and the others many summers ago. Sunny clasped both hands against his forehead, the memories of that day as vivid as ever.

_The peaceful sound of waves crashing against each other and the deafening roar of the wind. The sun’s radiant glow touching his skin. Sitting on the picnic mat and having a blast with his friends. Aubrey’s cute face after eating a watermelon. Building a mighty sandcastle and getting buried neck-deep in sand._

_Mari and Hero enjoying each other’s company and having the time of their lives._

“I’d love to try it again,” she said, breaking him out of his stupor.

“So do I. Let’s go. ”

In his previous walks, Sunny had observed a man selling kites in a stall somewhere. It shouldn’t be too far from where they currently were. It didn’t take long before they found him. The man wore a dark blue coat and had a white cap on him. He greeted the two with a warm smile.

“Could I interest you in some of my wares?”

The man’s stall had all sorts of colorful kites at various different sizes laid out for everybody to see.

Dawn looked unsure. “Is it really okay? You already got me that ice cream earlier.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “Who knows, this might be the only chance we’ll get.”

Dawn silently considered it and then nodded.

“Then can I have the bee one?” she chirped.

Sunny knew at first glance what kite he was going to pick.

“And I’ll have the bat,” he said. There was only one and it was hanging in clear view right around the center surrounded by a pile of other kites. It had a relatively safe color scheme of dark blue mixed with black. The bat had tiny black eyes and wore a deadpan expression. It was an odd choice flying a kite like that on a bright and sunny day but what can he say? He’s always been a sucker for dark aesthetics and that kite reminded him of himself more than he would care to admit.

The man handed Dawn her kite, fashioned in the shape of a bee. It was multicolored, with red, yellow, and green stripes running through its belly. Its eyes were comically big, about the size of two platters and its puffy lips were fixed in a goofy, yet endearing smile.

“That’ll be twenty bucks.” Sunny handed him the bill.

“Have fun!” he said as they walked away.

Sunny took her to a small hill west of the park in an open field, far from any trees. The grass had a brilliant shade of green and the wind was sufficiently strong.

“Let’s launch our kites at the same time!” she said, signaling for him to start. Sunny and Dawn unfurled their kites and let the line out slowly, letting the wind lift it up while still keeping some tension on the line. Looks like both of them still knew how to fly a kite at least, despite years of not having touched one. Dawn’s kite reached up first. It was a single-line kite so maneuvering it up in the air was child’s play.

“Look at Mr. Buzzyhead go!” she exclaimed, cheering for it.

“I see you’ve already given it a name.”

“Yup, just came up with it now. Isn’t it great?”

“Yeah, it’s got a nice ring to it.”

“Have you named yours?”

“Not yet.”

“How about I name it for you?”

“Sure, go ahead.”

“Mr. Batty! No, that sounds lame. How about Nightwing?”

“That’s taken.”

“Oh, hmmm let me think. I’m sure I can come up with the perfect name.”

Dawn tapped her foot on the grass.

“Oh! I know!”

“Let’s hear it.”

“Moony!”

 _Moony?_ Sunny repeated it in his mind. _Moony_?

“Sunny?”

“I—,” Sunny was about to speak, but he couldn’t contain it any longer and laughter spilled out of him.

“You know, because bats are creatures of the night and they fly under the moon— come on, stop laughing!” she said, feebly holding back a laugh herself.

“But really, Moony?” he said, still catching his breath. This was probably the most he has ever laughed in years.

Dawn giggled. “Why, you don’t like it?” 

“I do, but it’s just… a little bit too on the nose.”

“What do you mean?”

“It means… never mind. Moony it is then,” he said, giving her a thumbs up.

“Yay!”

Moony. What a name.

Thus, Mr. Buzzyhead and Moony flew majestically in the vast sky, watching over the world beneath them.

After some time, the wind had finally weakened and Mr. Buzzyhead and Moony’s flight sadly came to an abrupt end, landing right by their side.

Dawn had the biggest smile on her face.

The mission was a success, for now at least.

“That was fun!”

“Glad to hear it.”

Sunny’s mobile phone received a message. It was his mom.

“Looks like they’re calling for us,” he said. “Let’s head back.”

“Dawn?”

“The way back,” she said, grinning. “It’s just straight up ahead right?”

“You remembered? Yeah, it should be.”

“Then how about a race? Let’s see who can get back there first!”

Sunny let out a sigh. His legs were about to fall apart.

“No, Dawn. I can’t—”

Dawn had already left him behind.

* * *

They departed the park just as the sun was about to set.

“I appreciate what you did Sunny,” said his uncle, driving them on to their next destination. “I could see that Dawn had a blast with you.”

Dawn and his mom had fallen asleep, leaving him and his uncle free to talk some things over.

“It was nothing,” he said.

There was a brief moment of silence, then uncle Derrick spoke.

“Sunny, you mind talking over coffee later?”

His heart skipped a beat. He had to force the next words out of his mouth.

“A-About what?”

“Nothing in particular,” he laughed, smiling at him through the rear-view mirror. He must have sensed the anxiety in his voice. “Just some good old-fashioned heart-to-heart between an uncle and his nephew. What do you say?”

Sunny suspected that it wouldn’t be a typical “catching up” conversation.

“I don’t mind.”

“Great. I know some good spots around town. Hope they’re still there though.”

The car turned a corner and Dawn’s head fell right on his shoulder, still soundly asleep next to him.

Tired, Sunny closed his eyes and surrendered himself to sleep.


End file.
